An alliance of community groups has been set up to fight the regional assembly's plan to build 80,000 homes in south Hampshire.

Called SHUV, South Hampshire's Unheard Voices, the alliance will cover the same area as PUSH, the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, a coalition of councils from Havant to Southampton, which drafted the south Hampshire section for the regional assembly.

Members of SHUV range from the Campaign to Protect Rural England to East Hampshire Badger Group, and Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth and Funtley Residents' Association. Other community groups are invited to join SHUV, which is holding a public meeting organised by the Hampshire branch of CPRE in Funtley on May 16.

Caroline Dibden, chairman of CPRE's South Hampshire Planning Group, said:

"A number of planning authorities have also started Local Development Frameworks and we must all respond to each and every stage of the process, as these will determine where the housing land allocations, strategic gaps and detailed policies for the remaining countryside will be defined."

The Empty Homes Agency has been advising SHUV on unused properties in the area. SHUV spokesperson Andrea Claire Smith said:

"We accept that some increase in housing supply is needed, but it is cheaper and more environmentally sustainable to make better use of existing buildings than to build new. There are around 8,000 empty homes in Hampshire. Surely everything should be done to make best use of these before consideration is given to build new homes?"

PUSH and the regional assembly are willing to go along with the house-building programme if the Government promises to pay for extra facilities from a new reservoir to health services.

SHUV spokesperson Andrea Claire Smith said:

"The tram scheme was turned down by the Government because of the expense and money will be especially tight because of the cost of the London Olympics. It's extremely unlikely the Government will promise to find £2 billion for south Hampshire."

The latest version of the South East Plan was released on March 31st for a further round of consultation that ends on June 23rd. To join SHUV's information exchange on the SE Plan, email hartesmith@yahoo.co.uk

The SHUV meeting will be held on May 16 at 7.30pm in Funtley Social Club, 84 Funtley Road, Funtley, near Fareham.

To attend the meeting, please contact Pam Mason, CPRE's county branch administrator on 01962 843655 or admin@cprehampshire.org.uk.

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CPRE/Ann/SHUV

The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Hampshire Branch (CPRE Hampshire) is a registered charity and a branch of the national CPRE charity.

CPRE Hampshire strives to promote the beauty, tranquility and diversity of the countryside of Hampshire by the sustainable use of land and other resources in town and country, and encouraging the biodiversity and well-being of rural communities.

For more information about SHUV, please contact:
Andrea Claire Smith on 023 92 361 988 or 07787 326 724 or Keren Burney (details below).

For membership information on CPRE, please contact:
Pam Mason, administrator, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01962 843655
Email:admin@cprehampshire.org.uk

For all media enquiries, please contact:
Keren Burney, media & communications officer, CPRE Hampshire
Tel: 01730 894123   Mobile: 07876 780065
Email: kburney000@aol.com